Pressing machine



Sept. 2, 1947. y R. H. maliciaA Erm. l 2,426,747

rREssINe MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1942 5 sheets-snee; 1l

Septl 2, 1947. R. H. REEcEE-rAL PRESSING MACHINE l Filed Jan. 9,` 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 affam/Lf.

Sept. `Z,` 1947. R. H. REE-CE l Erm. 2,426,747`

c PRESSING MACHINE y Filed Jan, 91942 5 sheets-sheet 5 2; TOP* DIVELL Patented Sept. 2, 1947 PRESSING MACHINE Robert H. Reece, Holliston, and Alfred G. Gilbert, South Acton, Mass., assignors' to Reece Folding Machine Company, East Cambridge, Mass., a

corporation of Maine Application January 9, 1942, Serial No. 426,156

3 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for pressing garments and the like and has for its general objects to improve the pressing performance of, or quality of the work performed by such machines and increase the ease, facility, convenience and speed of their operation. The present application is a continuation in part, and with respect to certain common subject matter, of a prior application led December 10, 1940, Serial No. 369,448, now Patent No. 2,348,264, granted May 9, 1940, but shows and describes the invention in an improved and further developed form. The claims hereunto appended cover the aforesaid common subject matterV generically as well as, more specifically, the further developments and improvements referred to.

A pressing machine of the type to which the present invention relates comprises a pair of cooperating press elementsv or presser members which are relatively movable toward and from one another to cause them to close upon and eX- ert and (for a suitable time) maintain pressure upon work interposed between them and thereafter open to release the-pressure and work. Usually there is provided a lower stationary member, or so-called buck, and an upper member, or so-called head, movable toward the buck to exert pressure upon work disposed on the latter and away from the buck to release the pressure and permit the removal and insertion of the Work. Means are sometimes provided for applying ,a moistening medium (usually spray steam) and a drying medium (usually heated air) to the work before, during, or after the pressing operation, but such means have usually been manually controlled, so that the time and duration `of the application of the respective media, with respect to the pressing operation, have depended upon the skill and judgment of the operator and, even in the hands of the most experienced operators, have not been such as to produce the mosty satisfactory results. In some cases it has been proposed to correlate the admission of the respective media withV the closing and opening movements of the press elements, but in none of these, so far `as we are aware, has the relative timing been such as to accomplish the desired end. This has been due to the failure of the inventors of su'ch machines to appreciate the factors of the problem. Attempts have been made to improve the pressingperformance by increasing the pressure upon the work, but this leads to undesirable consequences, such, for example, as the formation of conspicuous seam fold `markings upon the work. Wenh'a-ve discovered that great pressureris not substantially constant maximum (but not excessively heavy) pressure for which the machine is designed or adjusted. The present invention has for its primary object the provision of mechanism for performing these operations automatically, reliably, accurately, andwithout attention on the part of the operator, whereby work of uniformly high quality may be turned out by relatively unskilled and inexperienced operators.

The invention also has for an object to pro- -vide improved means for applying the drying medium (or heated` air) to the work, and carrying away the moisture from the latter, in accordance with which said medium is most eiectively and evenly applied, whereby the work under pressure is evenly and quickly dried.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for controlling and limiting the pressure exerted upon the work by the press elements.

The invention will best be understood from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown inthe vaccompanying drawings, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that said invention, as Adefined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise ern'-V ,bodied' witho-ut departure from its spirit and scope.

In said drawings:

. Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, partly in section, of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View ofthe same, partly in section;

' Fig'. 3 is a plan View of the same;

Fig.l 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 5 is a detail fragrner'itaryV sectional view similar to Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2*;

Fig. '7 is a sectionalview taken substantially on theline 1--1 of Fig. 6,;

Fig. 8 is an enlargeddetailfront; sectional elevational View of a portion'of a machine; N

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of a machine as viewed in Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line IIl-I of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the timed relation in the operation ofrcertain parts of the machine. ..7

VThe machine illustrated comprises a rn-ain frame I0 of box-like form having upper front and rear frame members II and I2, respectively; supported thereon (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 40.-. I5 is secured upon the front frame member Il by bolts I6. vided with means for supporting and, guiding -a movable presser member or hea-d "I4 for movement toward and away from the buck I5. For this purpose a shaft I1 (Figs. 1,? 3 and 4) lispslidably- The rear framemember lL2 is Ypro-` 10. A bucky mounted in vertically spaced bearings I8 and I9 formed in the frame member I2. A ring 2-0' is secured to the shaft IFI-between the bearings I8 :and loyla setescreW=`2.I'.-/1Thering 2.0 iis vupro- 'videdwith alforwardly. extending key 72 2 adapted to-engagea verticalgroovelin the frame member I2: ofspacedwparallel;aL-shaped arms 2?.'alare pivotally lmoimted. intermediate .their ends upon alignedftrunn'ions 2 4.@ integral rwith vthe ring zigf Tire'hea'd- Mi'is iseeuredito theA forward ends of the-armsi25'g Rollers `311:(fFigsrl and 4) `are mounted upon depending-portions :of the `arm-s 25 near their lowerends #andeach roller-is adapted `to@engage a oamgroovesitformed in 'a plate 32 secured-4 t'o 5the V'frame i-rnenc'er' I2. VEach groove 3&1 h-as'fa verticalporfion Which--allowsftheihead 'Irtou'ise'or ffa'il vertically before entering or -after leal` "'rrg the arcuate portion.-34=having .a radius of aoznfvature such-ras' to Jperm -tlrearms y'25 it swing.-'a-bofu'tithfeiaxi-s ofthe trunnions '2l Y Y '.SpaoedfJ-supports- 35 (Figs. "1; :and 4)' of .invertedf-lil *shape .are fcarriedfby spaced` rods` "36 extending @JoetWeen-.fihel'side Walls of the lfratrie mit A marini idrive yshaft 538 is mountedfor `rotatinnlin-iaeax-i-ngsjin the side awa'lls of theframe I0 anrlfinieaeh of :the` supports` 35.y yA 'worm Wheel siixedfltpen theshaft 3Bengagesawormv xed uponx .a counter .shaftfl Iwl'iioh is -mou-nted vfor Yrotation in bearings inispacedabrackets '31- (Figs. vt? Land 9)' secured-tothe 'frame 105 rThe armatureshaftoa motor 42 is providedfwith a pulley -Mi'whioh is .connected -ioy a Jbelt 145 Vwith la .pulley 6 mounted for rotation upon the countershaft #3L pulley-.'45 'isadapte'dftofbe v.brou'glfit intol audimat of/iirivimgirelation with the.shaft 'M by a :fligsA 2,17 andtQ) which is V'a-iitnatedby afoat-'Itieaidleil fronte-'end ofya lever 52 iFigs. 1.I A:Z and 4) is trotatablyfmonnted .anca .rod-.53; extending Abetween-rand secured. to;.1;he :spaced supports' 135.` The lever 52 is formed with spaced parallel farms 54 extending adjacent opposite; :faces of :a fdisc A5i); XedlllQn, K.the shaft 1- 38. @Ea-ch of. tthe farms 54 afro-.liaengagingea eam'groove 5-I.in thef A b1ock-f55lys pivotally-connected to the other end of the lever 5.2,.i0ne `end* -of a rod 51 (Figs. 1 and 4) is secured towtheblock 56 andi-ts other .endissecured .to alolock '58. The' block 58 is bifurcatedtoprovide `spaced vertically extending .-Wa11$592`) which are .connected atA their'upper vends 'by spaced fwallsll "(Figs. 1, 3 and 4). A shaft 6I extends through aligned bearingsdin Vthe spaced Wallsjjand is secured at its ends to the arms 25. lA wornr'wheel-6'3iis posi- -tiorie'd between `the spaced walls 59'- and lis formed integral with a hub 62 whichfis'rotatablymounted in-v 1the" aligned'bearingsl -inft' espaced'wa-lls :59. The hub B21-is keyedfupnanzeceentri'c 41 Irotatably mounted upon the shaft 6 I. The Worm Wheel 53 is adapted to be engaged by a Worm 64 upon a Y shaftr65 which is mounted for rotation in bearings in the spaced walls 50. The shaft 55 yis provided with a handle 66 by which it may be turned manually land thereby shorten or lengthen the .connection between thearmsl'25 and the lever The buck I5 comprises a U-shaped body IIJ (Figs. l, 2, 4 and 5), the top of which is closed by a pervious pressing surface comprising a wire mesh screen II, the edges of Which are turned downpvergthe side walls of the body I0 and secured thereto '-by a clamping band Vl2. A perviollsj'pad Y"i3 'is positioned upon the screen 1I and is covered by a cloth 14, the edges of vwhich yarefolded over theside walls of the body of the buckv and secured by a tie string 15. The construction of the head I4 is similar to that of the buck and comprises an inverted U-shaped body :'I'i'fcov-ere'd bya :screen :'II .anda cloth I-'lf-between which' is interposed-ga 'pervlious pad TI-3'?. '.'Iheitopfwazll-fl'42of .thefshvead is fprovided Ywith a plurality ofuniformly 'distributed fperforatfions 59.

VStearmf.lmating coils 'ZIB' and `'ICI fGFigs. l1, 2, '4 and'5`).aare positioned inside the chambersfor-med withinfitheihollow -buck'and-head between the pervious pressing Lfaces .and the bottom and top' Vinletfothae coill T1161` and a :steam exhaust pipe connected 13o-the'outlet-:of thefcoill v715; l The steam inlet pipe f1 landexhaust .pipe -BIVare'CQnnected with the inlet and V.outlet forthecoil v'I'I by exibleoonduits S82 and S83;- respectively.Y The steam pipe fils lis .provided with Va 'branch pipe 'Sii -wiiichris' connected-to a .sprayA nozzle`v 871:2 ttedin anbpeningin-wthe bottom Walll fl-'Il'lof v-t'heflouck I5"v :I rA valve SiS-fis interposed 'lin the brano-h pipe 86: 4for -controliin'g `the supply vof steam to the spray nozzle 5:81. The-V valve' stem IUI of the valve'. Bllprojiects thnou'ghjfthe'oasing of the latter. j'll-ie valve #88 normally? is maintained `closed Aby .a spring Y. |138 surrounding the valve stem CIM.:and-interposed lbe'tween fthe casing yof the valveland a collar lg-xed upon vt'he'valve istem; l y Y Y 1A vconduit 834s sevrcuretl Vatt-one Aend toI thembottom-wall`-of thellbuck in-r 1c'on-infirmication with normallyfishel-d Y its closedvposition by a spring `9`-l"surrouriding-fthevalve st-em5 andinterposed inlet ofea dehydratingdevioef'i liiiaving an outa let-communicating y"with thematmosphere.' vThe One end of a rod |02 is pivotally connected to the lever 99 intermediate itsA ends. VThe other end of the rod |02 is pivotally connected t'o one end-of a foot lever |03 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a rod |04 Sextending between the side walls of the frame l0. A roller |05 carried by the lever 99 intermediate :its ends is adapted toV engage the surface of a cam |06 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) fixed upon the main driveshaft 38.

One end of an arm (Figs. 1 and 4) is pivotally mounted upon a projection formed on the casing of the valve 88`so as to project under the end of the valve stem |01. The otherend of the arm I0 is forked and embraces a rod and normally rests upon a collar |2 fixed to the rod. The lower end of the rod is pivotally connected to one end of a foot treadle ||3 mounted upon the rod |04. A lever ||4 is pivotally mounted at one end Yto the frame |0 and its other end projects through an opening I|5 in a block ||6 integral with the rod A cam follower ||1 carried by the lever ||4 is adapted to engage the surface of a cam 8 (Figs.v 2L 4 and 6) fixed upon the drive shaft 38.

The cam grooves 5| in the disc 50 include portions 26 and 21 concentric with the axis of the shaft 38 which receive the rolls 55 when the head I4 is in its extreme lower and upper positions respectively; When the rolls 55 engage the concentric portions 21, the head is held stationary in its upper position, and when they engage the portions 28, it is held pressed againstthe buck to exert upon work disposed upon the latter a constant pressure which is the maximum pressure for which the machine is adjusted by the eccene tric 41|. The cam groove portions 26 and 21 (Figs. 1 and 4) are connected by cam groove portions 28 and 29 which cause movement of the head |4 from its extreme upper to its extreme lower positions and vice versa respectively.. As the head is moved from its extreme upper position, the roll 30 successively engages the portions 33 and 34 of the groove 3| to cause the head to swing to a position parallel to and spaced from the buck and then move into engagement with the buck. The cams ||8 and |06 are provided with raised portions 41 and 48 (Fig. 1) respectively, which are arranged to engage the cam follower ||1 and the roll |05 successively to open the steam valve 88 to spray steam momentarily through the nozzle 81 and then, at termination of spray, open the suction valve 9|. The valves 88 and 9| are maintained closed when the cam follower ||8 and roll |05 engage the remaining portions of their respective cams. The cam disc 50 and cam |06 are arranged upon the drive shaft 38 so that the valve 9| is opened only while the head engages the buck unless actuated by the foot trea'dles |03 and ||3. In other words, the shapes and relativeangular positions on the shaft 38 of the cams 50, |06 and I8, with respect to their several cam followers, are such as to cause the steam valve 88 to close and the suction valve 9| thereafter to open, both while the rolls 55 are in the concentric portions 26 of the grooves 5| and the work consequently held under constant maximum pressure between the press elements I4 and I5.

As will be'obvious from Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the chambers formed within the hollow head I4 and buck I5 are substantially coextensive in area with the pervious work engaging pressing faces thereof, while the distribution of the perforations 69- (see also Fig. 3) over the top wall 10 of the head is Such as to render said wall foraminous over an areailikewise substantially coextensive with said faces. Consequently, when suction is applied to the hollow buck, a flow of atmospheric air is induced through the head and work, said air being evenly distributed over the work, being caused to pass completely and directly through the-latter at right angles, and being preheated by the steamcoils 11 during its passage through the hollow head, whereby the work is quickly and evenly dried.

The motor 42 is secured upon a platform |30 (Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7) which is slidably mounted upon spaced rods |3| extending between the side walls of the frame I0, A rod |32 passing through an opening in one of the side walls of the frame |0 is secured at one end to the platform |30 and is secured at its other end to one end of a manually `operable lever |33 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a bracket |34 secured to the frame |0. The motor 42 normally is urged to the left as viewed in Fig. 6 by a pair of springs |35, each of which is secured at one end to the platform |30 and at its other end to the frame I0.

The pulley 44 is composed of two complementary parts |36 and |31 (Figs. land 7) which cooperate to provide a V-shaped groove .inl which the belt 45 is received. The part |36 is iixed upon the armature shaft vof the motor 42 while the part |31 is slidably keyed thereto. By adjusting the position of the pulley part |31 relative to the part |36', the effective size of the pulley 44 may be varied to control the speed of operation of the machine.' The means for adjusting the position ofthe pulley partv |31 comprises .aleverV |38 pivotally connected at one end to a bracket |39 securedto theplatform |30. The other end of the lever |38'is pivotally securedto a block |40 carried by-on'e end of an adjusting rod |4| exn tending forwardly through the front wall of the frame |0, The lever' |38 is formed with a-ringklike intermediate portion |29 surrounding the ar.

mature'shaft of the motor 42 and provided with diametrically oppositely positioned projections |44 `adapted to engage the movable pulleypart |31. The rod |4| is provided with a threaded portion |42 engaging a nut |43 pivotally carried by a bracket secured to the motor 42. The pulley part |31 is held in engagement with the projections |44 by the tension of the belt 45.

. One element of the clutch C comprises a drum |45 (Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9) surrounding the counter shaftv 4| and formed integral with the pulley 46. The other element of the clutch C comprises a pair of internally expanding brake or clamp shoes |21 (Fig. 8) which are expanded by cams4 |28 xed upon each of the spaced shaftsl |46 which are mounted for rotation in a disc |41 keyed upon the countershaft` 4|. A drum 200 is formed integral with the disc |41 and is arranged to be engaged by a brake |64 when the clutch is disengaged. An operating arm |48 is fixed upon each of the shafts |46 and each carries a cam follower |49 which is urged toward the counter-shaft 4| by a spring |50. A collar |5| is rotatably and `slidably mounted upon `the shaft 4|y and is pro- Or dist-engage 'the CllltChC. Another arif1'-l56'0f fagaaexzer tiren-'iban @rank1-lever spivotallyfconnectedftoione .end @link-:151,1 fthe otherrend iof Whichrs piVfn otallyieonrrected Lto: anV tear rawprojectingnfrom the l hun. iIBli of .the tooty dreadle' 143; .Whirh :is gse-r fcurvednunon the. .shaft |504 rotatably mountediin thelframe 121|. Thefoot treadle .fis providedwith :amor-tion .43 :extendingrearwardlyrrom itszhnb .11535 A countertveight .Izi fifsfsecured uponasleeve MK2-(FigRl'wvhich is xed. upon :tlrexshaftl 041. .'lhe'oounterweight serves toholdt-he .treadefS in either its operative or inoperative positions.; .A thirdxarm .1|.63rof thesbell fcrarikilgcarrieshe braiseshoe-|f4 .adaptedtozengage the drum 200m the". clutchv 'C l'-vrhemfthe :clutch Yis .disconnected '.Meclranism ijstprovded fior '.'di'senga'gingrthe clutch C automaticallyfrto stop'aotation :of the `drive shaft r3.8..'When-the head .engages the buck and:=when the=.head inni-its 'uppormostrposition; .ilhisilnechanism :comprises a roam I 'III (Figs. 2, 'ii :7 zand Qiaxed upon the 'shaftvSand provided wifthiraised'portions iIIlI at. dametrically opposite/points on its periphery. ,A lever I|12 :is pivotally'moxmted intermediate'its ends upon the rollfrlliadapted 'to engage .the oar-nv |10.. The other'arm i |154 .of :the'leverV |12 :proe'cts Ardownwardflyf'adacem: aebar H5 and c'arriesa roll H6 V(Figrw) whichlprojeots into a fslot y'I1I"1n 'the rm1j|f?l5.V A rod I'IBfis provided 'with a threaded portionejiiengaging .a threaded openingr in the bar :IJEgaI-Id .li-s adapted to 'be adjusted vinto `or outio-'fengagement with lthe leverzarm |14. f'Ihe other-end dfthe rod. ITB extends through the ifront Waili of theirame .fIIl .andi's'sprovided'` With an operating fknobr'm 'The bar :2| 'I'5zis provided with a Jforkedrear end :t8 I 'embracing a pin :1|821carriedfbyza'leverilBS 'near Ione fend' tlrler'eo.V 'The others-end :ofgthe .lever |83 is :.pivotallymounted upon :annarmi :1M 5 .proj eating upwardly jf'rom :fandfonnedntegrakwith theloar |15.` A spring :|85

sSecmedataUneend to th'ebar. 41.5 andratiits other :end ".to-.theipin |82. 'The Vlever V| 8.3 "is" provided-Wtth :a -slot `|86 engaged 'by a pin V1I| pro jectinfgfrom :the lyoked `arm `|54. The iarmrd isggprovided fa :rearwardyextending :tongue .I'Badaptedio bezfengaged-fby fthe forward edge offvthelever |83..

. fsupplied nontinnoirsfly'nto the coils 16 and *Htc-heat the head: fand-buck; To :start Ithe machine Vin operation, thieootf--treadle a43^=is` idepressed tosldefthepcam liiito the rightas vie-Wed infFig-s. 7.and,9,;and.th`us turn-.the arms 'dilate expandizthe rbra-keshoes f I2 1. andengage .the clutch C. y :In this; Way, @power is supplied. to rotatethe shaft 38:, .Thefcams-i; 106,1 -II8 and 'zlI .are smarramgedftupon-.the :shaft 3B; as 'to aotuate 'the instrumentalities. associ-ated therewith :desired timed relation.v t As the l:shaft zis rotatedtthrough one ICOm'plete revolutiom-jahe camgrooves f5 I; :in the dise: icaaisezthez head lato-:move from its uppermost,positionzto-Ward :the iourzk I5 to'v engage the latter under `pressure --and then return ',to its uppermost :position` f .The v cam z grooves: 5 I in ithe disc :Earesopformed that-fthe .headshl'isrheld in its uppermost :positionand in engagement .with they buck for predetermined: lengthsiof itime. When Athehe'ad V-is 'inV its `uppermostposition Ia garment y:nay be .spread upon fthe ssurtacepioi the buck.-. thenhead eis approaching :the :buckr'and iswithinapredetermined.,'distance-,therefrom;;the camelcauses the steamvialve |38 tofo'pen to-spray steam -through-.the -frwzzle Y8?! to moistenntlae garmentfonethe louelfn The steam valvefremains ropenuntilthehead rhas loeen infengagement with the-.buck vfora short interval1 of .timefand-.isthen rrso caused.tozzzcloseobyfzoperation ofsthe cam` rIffI 8e; .A

short mterva'lofztime .thereaften-rwrle'thei head stiil :is .'inxengagementnwith: the buck, .the cam Imiecausesifthe;suction;valve Sil-.to opten:l 'Livi/'lien this @valve is opened, fair drawn ftloeisuotion .if-an r|341t11rough: theirerioratiorist-59:, :as `illustratediniELig. 4, intosihehead IQYfand-throughthe garment.'x t. air is heated Vas it masses through thehead and-taciiitatesg removal -of moisture from the garment. Just before the laeadgstarts:r 'to move. out oaf-.engagement witlrth'ebuck; the operationnof wam .#106 causesA the; suction .naive y9| ateniese-.andthe iheadsthen returns to; its uppermost position andthe pressedgarment-is vremoved. the3buckzandtanotherfgarmentzspreadrthere 1 "Theeiutch C may vbe.:disengaged ftorstop operation v:of fthe' machine hywdepnessingthe por; tion l435i of .the .foot i'readle'` 43: .Disengagement ot `the'rzlutcn G moves.:the .bell crank I rtogether. with' the 'farm y1153.. tozbring the brakevshoe Y116A: in engagement with :the dru-mx Elli to e stop; Arotation o'tshaftlll.r n f The pressure. :exerted by theihead :uponfdihe garment` and :buokxmayfbe :adjusted'f i151` .ftnming the shaft zftonhange the' length/ofthe connectionJb-etween'zthe. arms 25 and-fthe 'leverfl The speediofmotation ofthe. shaft` 38 may be varied from hetweenabout vto revolutionszper minute by. rotating the irod :|41 V'to' .swing theh lever 313B Figzif, fand'zthusiaeontrolzzthe distance .betweenfthe pull-ley. fpartsfffand 1-If3 1. `to change vlthefeffeotive lsize..or1:he pollir-:yfril4'N Inorder'to facilitate makin Ithis adustmenm..the'tensionx forV the .-belt 45 performing :any operative `:tu-notion.u ."However when :ftiiefrod 113' is `adjustedrtoathe.`V dotted line Y position ,shown in'ltig; 10; .the ever .4,12 becomes looked 5to :the barili-1115. .#:Cons'equentily, when'zone Y of,y ,th'e .f enlargements I'IiI upon. dhe :cam Htl engageszathe .frol'l :Idir-the. lever |12: is caused to swing;;in a :clockwise direction aszviewed ing-Fig. Sltolmovefthebar d 'tothe,left.r :Since-thespring 1| 85 connectszthezba-r 415 Withgthe pin |8-2'oa-rried .hytheglevieraela resilient fconnection is thereby providedbetween 'the bar |15 and the lever|83 whitihzrzauses fthe lever NI 83;.to; be 1moved1to "the 'letaswiewedeinligr 9 .when-thegbar If1.5is moved tortheyleft: At .the :same etime, ithecarn I'B'gi's -moveda'ztofthedeftttodisengagmthe clutch .Gdn-

asmuchvasgthepn ll` engagesthe slot 186m thepleverAv |83: The Vraised@portions'nIHY .are so positionedemon fthe cam 410i that the clutch, .is disengagedztocrstopr operation ofirthe fehainfo zope erations when the head I4 is in its uppermost position farrd Aagain :whenithe :head-.isjntengagement ivithntheabuek: JItfWll'be tunderstoo.dzfthai.

whenfth: oierationofrthe machineiisfhus :stopped it 1 may; be; againostarted -iby ffdepressing the ;foot treadfle 43.12.' j Y i t.

Theioperation of vrtheressential"instrunrentatties of the machine in the preferred timed relation is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 11. In Fig. 11, the concentric circles H, T, V and S represent the action during one complete simultaneous revolution of the cams 50, V10, 198 and l i8, respectively, which control the movement of the head, the `automatic disengagement of the clutch, the operation of the vacuum Valve, and the operation of the steam spray valve, respectively. The circles are divided by radial lines 15 apart. The full line portions a and b of the circle H represent the periods in which the portions 21 and 2S of the cam grooves v5l are operative, namely, the periods in which the head remains in its uppermost position and in its lowermost position, respectively. Thus, when the cam disc 50 has rotated 150 the head engages the buck and remains in engagement With the buck until the cam has rotated 210. The head is in its uppermost position during the first and last 15 of rotation of the cam disc 50.

If the rod 118 is adjusted to its dotted line position shown in Fig l0, the machine will stop in the middle of the periods in which the head is held in its uppermost and lowermost positions as indicated by the full line portions c and d of the circle T which represent the periods in the rotation of the cam lill when the enlargements l'il thereon are operative to disengage the clutch C.

The full line portion e of the circle S represents the period during rotation of the cam H8 When the steam spray valve 38 is open. lIhus, this valve is opened When the cam 18 has rotated approximately 127%" of its cycle of movement and remains open until the cam H8 has completed substantially 1571/2o of one revolution whereupon the valve 63 closed and remains closed While the cam H8 completes one revolution. Thus, it will be noted that the steam spray valve is opened just before the head reaches its lowest position and remains open for a short period of time While the head is held in a position to exert its full or maximum pressure upon Work interposed between it and the buck, Shortly after the steam valve 88 has closed and when the cam 106, represented by the circle V in Fig. 11, has completed about 165 of one revolution and the work is still held under pressure, the cam |06 causes the suction valve 9i to open and this valve remains open until the cam H16 has completed about 115 of one revolution or until just before the head starts to rise and thereby releases the pressure on the Work.

We claim:

1. In a pressing machine, in combination, cooperating press elements, a shaft, means including a cam on said shaft for closing said press elements upon the Work to exert and maintain a substantially constant pressure thereon and for thereafter opening said elements to release said pressure, means for supplying steam to the Work, a valve for controlling the steam supply, and means including a cam on said shaft for operating said valve, said last named cam being so shaped and positioned on said shaft With respect to said first named cam as to cause said valve to open when said elements are closed upon the Work and to close While said first named cam holds said press elements in position to exert substantially constant pressure on the Work.

2. In a pressing machine, cooperating press elements having pervious Work-engaging pressing faces, means for closing said elements upon the Work to exert and maintain pressure thereon and for thereafter opening said elements to release said pressure, one of said elements having a chamber communicating With the pressing face thereof, means for supplying steam to said chamber to meisten the Work and for discontinuing the same, and means for applying suction to said chamber while the Work is under pressure and thereby inducing a flow of air through the other of said elements and through both pressing faces and Work, said other element being hollow and having a Wall, opposed to the pressing face thereof, which is foraminous throughout an area at least substantially coextensive with the Work-engaging areas of said pressing faces, whereby the air passing through the Work is substantialiy evenly distributed thereover.

3.1m a pressing machine, a Work supporting buck, a pressing head, said buck and head having pervious work-engaging pressing faces, means i'or moving said head toward said buck to exert and maintain pressure on Work supported by said buck and for thereafter moving said head away from said buck to release said pressure, said buck having a chamber communicating with the pressing face tliereof and substantially coextensive in area with the work engaging area of said pressing face, means for supplying steam to said chamber to meisten the Work and for discontinuing the same, and means for applying suction to said chamber While the Work is under pressure and thereby inducing a iiow of air through said head and through both pressing faces and Work, said head being hollow and having a wall, opposed to the pressing face thereof, which is foraminous throughout an area at least substantially coextensive with the Work-engaging areas of said pressing faces, whereby the air passing through the Work is substantially evenly distributed thereover.

ROBERT H. REECE. ALFRED G. GILBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,014,300 Strobridge Sept. 10, 1935 2,197,613 Goldstein Apr. 16, 1940 2,045,448 Davis June 23, 1936 2,226,197 Chinnici Dec. 24, 1940 R/e, 17,883 Simpson Nov. 23, 1930 1,105,530 Palmer July 28, 1914 1,682,903 Hadaway, Jr Sept. 4, 1928 1,748,539 Clarke Feb, 25, 1930 1,815,783 Ledbetter July 21, 1931 1,922,052 Ledbetter Aug. 15, 1933 1,984,496 Rapisarda Dec. 18, 1934 1,704,816 Zeidler Mar. 12, 1929 1,999,445 Davis Apr. 30, 1935 1,939,043 Davis Dec. 12, 1933 2,306,566 Randall Dec. 29, 1942 1,957,250 Davis May 1, 1934 2,007,321 Yosyk July 9, 1935 1,647,769 Braun Nov. 1, 1927 

